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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28086645">Starlight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunshine_lollipops_and/pseuds/Sunshine_lollipops_and'>Sunshine_lollipops_and</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Winter Light [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>BAMF Merlin (Merlin), F/M, Female Merlin (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Magic Revealed, Post-Magic Reveal, Protective Knights (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 11:54:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,457</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28086645</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunshine_lollipops_and/pseuds/Sunshine_lollipops_and</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur, Merlin, and the knights go hunting to blow off some steam. Predictable problems ensue.<br/>Rated t for a little violence.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Winter Light [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2045561</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>192</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello again! Just can't leave these characters alone.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"-and if your overdo it Merlin, and end up on this bed again, I swear to you I'll-"</p><p>Arthur barges in at this point. Merlin's had enough threats to her life should she not... take care of her life. Anyway. She's had enough.</p><p>Merlin turns to him, grinning broadly, and Gaius purses his lips, an unspoken threat to Arthur too in his eyes. </p><p>"Come on," Arthur says, "get your lazy backside out there. The knights already have the horses ready."</p><p>"Bye, Gaius!" Merlin calls, snatching a pack of medical supplies up from the table. "Don't get into any trouble now!"</p><p>The eyebrow raises. They make their escape.</p>
<hr/><p>It's too busy in the corridors for his hand to come to rest at the small of her back, as it often does now. Things had changed greatly, in his relationships, in his perceptions, in everything, really. And Lord Tabard had really been the catalyst for it all. </p><p>Merlin's health and been the first thing. Her injury had been grievous, and though she fought hard and was quicky out of the woods, she had a long and draining recovery ahead of her. But weeks of mostly sleeping left her biting at the bit to get back to work, and for the same of Gaius' sanity she was allowed back on light duties as soon as she could take the stairs before needing to go back to bed and sleep another eight hours. But she bounced back, as she always did, as cheery and determined as ever throughout, and here they were.</p><p>They descend the steps, into the washed out light of the January morning. The courtyard is bustling with servants and squires about their business, in the centre of it, his four distinguished knights... As distinguished as ever. By which he means Leon looking stern, Percival looking exasperated, and Elyan trying desperately hard not to laugh at whatever the hell Gwaine is doing. </p><p>Arthur's not even getting into it today. It's too early. </p><p>He clears his throat to announce their presence. </p><p>"Princess! You're here on time! Oh my days!"</p><p>"I would be more often, Sir Gwaine, if my maidservant were not such a plodding idiot."</p><p>Gwaine throws back his head and laughs, before turning to Merlin herself.</p><p>"Shall I defend your honour, my Lady?"</p><p>"Oh don't Gwaine, your latest barmaid would be so jealous!"</p><p>"My latest barmaid?" </p><p>"The one warming your lap all Saturday night! What's her name... Aldrith? Ariana?"</p><p>"Alice!" He shouts in mock offence, before turning to her with a gleeful wink. "Don't worry Merlin, there's always room for another on my lap."</p><p>"I'll take you up on that,." Calls Percival. Elyan whistles, eyebrows waggling, and Arthur knows that's the most coherent conversation they'll get all day. Children, the lot of them.</p><p>The flirtatious nature of Merlin and Gwaine's back-and-forth is something Arthur quickly realised was another incarnation of his own banter, nothing more, and the jealous beast inside him quickly shut up and crawled back into its hole. Not that it never reared its head, just no longer at Gwaine. He's wiser, and more trusting now. </p><p>"Ready to ride, Sire?" Says Leon, trying awfully hard to school his features back into blankness.</p><p>"Off the battlements, a day with these lot." He says, but the edges of his lips are quirking.</p>
<hr/><p>It's cold, but bright, and the icicles still clinging to the bare trees sparkle in the sunlight. The moon is still visible, almost the same colour as the clouds. The land is seemingly barren, blanketed with snow and breathtaking silence, cut only by the occasional song of a bird. It's more of a stress relief hunt than a game one. Arthur doesn't try to force the knights into focus, and there are few deer around anyway. It's more to get everyone <em>out</em> for a while, away from all the stress of the last few months. It's much needed, and Arthur's happy to sacrifice the thought of venison for dinner for the return of laughter to his friends.</p><p>Still, they manage to catch a rabbit or two for lunch, and Merlin gets straight to cooking as he tethers the horses. He still loves to watch her light the fire, with a flash of gold in her eyes and a flick of the wrist. Judging by the not so subtle glances of the knights, pausing in their chores or chatter to watch, they feel the same. </p><p>It had been nerve-wracking, deciding to tell them. Merlin had initially shouted at Arthur for being a <em>stupid, arrogant, careless prat who thinks he suddenly knows best when I've been keeping it secret just fine for years now!</em></p><p>But she'd come to agree that the knights could be trusted, and should be trusted for the sake of their own protection, stances on magic, and the hopes Arthur had for Camelot in the future.</p><p>Not that it hadn't been tough for Arthur. A lifetime of bias is hard to push off, coupled with a still strong sense of duty to his declining father, but whenever he had overwhelming doubt, whenever he worried that he risked the lives of his people by even considering magic, he remembered Merlin, comforting Lord Elrond before he stabbed her. Merlin risking her life to protect Arthur's. Merlin snorting water out her nose laughing at a joke of Gwaine's. Merlin telling Arthur she loved him.</p><p>As if Merlin could ever be evil. </p><p>Gwen had found out at some point during Merlin's recovery, too entwined in her care not to catch the whispers of the old religion or the rather conspicuous <em>floating objects</em> as Merlin slept. So they sat the knights down, and Arthur watched as Merlin's hands shook under the table, clenched so tight that her bones showed through the thin skin of her knuckles. She'd bit her lip, then looked each man in the eye before blurting it out.</p><p>"I have magic. I was born with it, and I have used it only for the protection of the Prince and of Camelot. I'm sorry I lied to you."</p><p>She bowed her head, like a man offering his neck to the executioners block, staring intently at the table as if memorising every detail of the scratched wood. Arthur didn't miss the tremble of her jaw, the fear in her eyes. But it wasn't fear of execution, or torture, or banishment or any kind of formal punishment. It was a fear of hatred. A fear of her closest friends feeling betrayed. </p><p>They'd spoken deeply about it, as she revealed everything to Arthur weeks before, and she'd shaken the same way then, still not quite convinced that Arthur didn't hate her.</p><p>A tear splashed onto the table, fast and loud like lightning in the dead silence of the room. Arthur had watched his men, praying to everything divine that nobody would be <em>stupid</em> about this. He feared little from Gwaine or Percival, men who'd grown up in kingdoms where magic was legal and welcome, but Elyan, who, in one way or another, lost his father to magic? Leon, his father's loyal first knight? </p><p>"Merlin?"</p><p>Elyan's voice was deeply gentle as Merlin snapped up to meet his eyes.</p><p>He reached his hand across the table, taking hers in his. Percival followed quickly, closing his own on top of theirs, eyes solemn and kind. Gwaine, grinning with a mischief that Arthur feared (and had been right to, with all the pranks Gwaine put Merlin up to in the following weeks) reached his hand across to rest on the pile. Leon was slower, taking a moment to look Arthur in the eye first. Arthur saw the loyalty that Leon had sworn to the crown, and above all his loyalty to his friends. He gave an imperceptible nod, before reaching his own hand across.</p><p>This unquestioned acceptance was obviously too much for Merlin, who completely collapsed into the table in loud, inconsolable tears, of relief and happiness and overwhelming emotion. Arthur would swear to the day he died that he hadn't then joined in the positively <em>girly</em> group hug that Elyan instigated, and would <em>laugh</em> at the notion that his own eyes had welled up a little. Preposterous. (Well, if anyone ever tried to prove it, he had his own royal testimony that Percival had been more than a little sniffly afterwards.)</p><p>And from then, Merlin's magic had been something of a joy to the knights. Of course, they too had the tough conversations about what she'd done, what she'd hidden, but when Merlin talked with Elyan about how she'd forged a sword in the breath of a dragon, the blacksmith in him was enchanted (not the magic kind.) When she conjured butterflies, and shapes in the fire, Gwaine and Percival smiled in excited awe like children. And slowly but surely, Leon's eyes began to light up as Merlin, with his hesitant permission, dried his clothing with a wave of her hand when he returned soaked through from a patrol. </p><p>And so it is almost a given, now, as natural as before as Merlin springs a fire up from nowhere, humming cheerily as she prepares a stew. Gods he's beyond lucky. For all of them.</p>
<hr/><p>It's a sign of a good meal which makes the knights fall silent, the usual boisterous ribbing replaced with the sounds only of cutlery on bowl, and satisfied sighs. And Arthur's rather enjoying the peace, until the part of him that's been trained to listen to danger all his life and he can never quite turn off pipes up. </p><p>"Shhh." He hisses, and the knights fall into the silence of the trained combatants they are, despite appearances.</p><p>Elyan furrows his brow.</p><p>"I don't hear anything, my Lord."</p><p>He's right. It's quiet. Rather too quiet. </p><p>"Exactly. Don't you think it's a little-"</p><p>And it's then that at least twenty, armed-to-the-teeth bandits burst from behind the trees.</p><p>Damn and blast.</p>
<hr/><p>It's twenty on six, and though they may be the most feared warriors in teh land, and Merlin apparently the greatest sorcerer ever to walk the earth, they're completely off guard, and that is the kind of thing that wins or loses battles. And it certainly loses them this battle.</p><p>They stagger to their feet, grabbing swords from the ground and forming a circle. The bandits, as if rehearsed, lunge in unison, at least three on each of them, and though the knights are quick, and Merlin is quicker, he knows his knights are struggling, and Merlin is still in some ways recovering from her wound. Leon is on the ground, enemy sword at his back, Percival close to joining him, but Arthur's gaining on his three opponents, just about to strike one down when from the corner of his eye he sees-</p><p>
  <em>Thud.</em>
</p><p>A particularly vicious looking knight, tall and broad with a thick dark beard, had brought the pommel of his sword down on the back if Merlin's head with enough force to knock her clean to the floor. She's unconscious before she hits the ground, not even enough time for eyes to widen before they roll back.</p><p>"Merlin!"</p><p>And that moment of distraction is all it takes for Arthur's three to knock his sword from his hand, bringing their own to his neck.</p><p>He swear colourfully, and someone laughs. Leon too is brought to his knees.</p><p>The last thing he sees before a blindfold closes over his eyes, is the brutal kick a man delivers to Merlin's side.</p><p>She rolls over, boneless in the mud.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading! Xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Long time no see... I'm sorry! Lockdown (2, 3, what number are we on???) has left me completely devoid of any kind of creativity or motivation, but I'm back! Thank you so so much for all the kindness, the kudos and especially the comments are really what made me want to keep writing, so thank you for taking that time to make my week! Hope you don't hate me at the end of this hehe...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The bandits waste little time. Arthur's soon gagged as well as blindfolded, hands tied tightly behind his back. He hears the sounds of them sifting through the camp, taking food supplies and bedrolls, blindfolding the others. Merlin lying kicked in the mud is all he can see in his minds eye. Surely she'll wake up soon enough to walk? The thought of her being dragged by her ropes behind them is too much for him. But Arthur's got years of training and practice in putting things out of his mind until further notice, and right now he has to focus on an escape.</p><hr/><p>All too soon he is being pulled to his feet, sword at the small of his back, and he is walking. With an unnamed bandit behind him, he has no hope of tearing pieces of his tunic off to leave a trail, should someone come looking before they have gone too far. It's a long walk, made longer by the straining of his ears to try and catch the sound of Merlin waking up and saving them with that magic of hers, or even just tripping over her feet as she walked. Anything would be welcome about now.</p><p>The end of their journey is sudden. The sword is removed from his back, and he's abruptly pushed to the ground, bashing his head off a tree behind him. He's got a blade to the neck to keep him still as someone ties ropes tight enough to cut off circulation, and within moments he's tightly bound to the spot.</p><p>He can hear Gwaine's muffled shouts through his own gag from a reasonably close distance. A bandit laughs as a dull thud rings out, and then Gwaine goes completely silent.</p><p>It's some time again before there's hands on his face, roughly pulling the blindfold and gag from him. The first sight his eyes are greeted is the grubby face of one of the bandits. He's short and squat, grinning a crooked yellow smile.</p><p>"Don't choo go tryin' anything, your 'ighness. We've got the rest of your lil' friends as warranty."</p><p>Arthur spits in his face.</p><p>His face turns red, and he gives Arthur a stinging slap.</p><p>"Do that again, and I'll start taking fingers." He stamps off, joining the rest of the bandits.</p><p>Arthur takes stock. It's late evening, the oppressive darkness of the sky bearing down on the land. He can see Gwaine, slumped unconscious at a tree directly across from him, and the back of Leon's head at another tree. From the shuffles and breathing he can hear around him, the others are tied out of sight.</p><p>"<em>Leon</em>," he hisses, and the curly head cock towards him, catching his eye, "<em>who can you see?" </em></p><p><em>"Just Percival, my Lord,</em>" he whispers back, "<em>unharmed</em>."</p><p>Arthur takes a breath. Just Elyan and Merlin left.</p><p>"<em>Perciv</em>-"</p><p>"Oi!"</p><p>Yellow Teeth turns around, waving a sword.</p><p>"If you can't shut up, I'll gag you again!"</p><hr/><p>There are at least twenty of the bandits. Too many to take on unarmed. Without a weapon, the best Arthur could hope to do is escape. And leave his men behind? Not likely. So. A weapon. At least six of the men carry swords in scabbards at their waist. Yellow teeth holds his. The rest are strewn across the grass, dumped with reckless abandon. There's one, about ten meters from his tree. If he could just reach it....</p><p>"Oi, who left their swords lying around? You want them going rusty in the grass? Or worse, in the hands of that crafty Camelot scum?"</p><p>Yellow Teeth had seen Arthur's gaze. The men gather their weapons, landing a lazy kick on Arthur or one of the others as they pass by. There goes that plan. Time passes, and night falls, as all the while Arthur struggles for some kind of idea, any kind of escape. The bandits don't talk to him, ignoring his goads and insults, knowing better than to interact and give him any kind of opportunity. And still no sign of Elyan or Merlin. Percival it turns out, can only see Leon, but they'd hardly leave anyone, especially a knight, behind after kidnapping the crown prince, surely?</p><hr/><p>It's as he resigns himself to a vigilant, cold night, that a shuffling noise from beyond his line of sight catches his attention. It continues, drawing closer, until the bandits notice it too. Even the ones who'd been dropping off to sleep rise and draw their swords. Could the knights have found him so quickly? Surely-</p><p>The source of the noise steps out into the light of the stars. A slight figure, shrouded in a dark blue hooded cloak stands before the bandits. It can't be, it looks like-</p><p>"<em>Merlin</em>?"</p><p>A bandit must hear, because suddenly there are roars of laughter.</p><p>"It's the little girl you left in the mud, Randolph!"</p><p>The man who had hit her over the head cackles, flecks of spit flying from his lips.</p><p>The other man steps toward her, until he's dangerously close. He peers into her features, holding his flaming torch up to see them better.</p><p>"Why'd you leave the thing behind? A woman's a woman, Randolph, we'll entertain ourselves tonight with something other than the Prince!"</p><p>Randolph steps forward himself.</p><p>"With that scrawny thing, Elard?"</p><p>Elard ignores him.</p><p>"What do they call you, darling?"</p><p>Merlin reaches up her arms, and draws down her hood. Her smile is wolfish, and something ferocious light up in her eyes.</p><p>"<em>Emrys</em>."</p><p>She laughs, as both men take a step back, panic in their own eyes, but before anyone can even take a breath, Merlin has raised her arms.</p><p>She. Goes. Ballistic.</p><p>This is definitely what Gaius meant by <em>overdoing</em> <em>it.</em> The ground rumbles, and Merlin throws fire and fury at them, steadily knocking them down. Her eyes don't flicker from pure gold, but as her wrath rains down upon them, Arthur sees that she does not kill a single one of them. They lie, unconscious or stunned, or not stupid enough to get back up again for another round with this warrior. She turns on the bandits who have fled then, her back to Arthur as her shoulders taut with the power she is drawing from the core of the earth.</p><p>It's then, while he's captivated by her, that a hand closes over his mouth, slicing his restraints and pulling him to his feet, a sword coming to rest firmly at his Adam's apple.</p><p>The sour, foul breath of Yellow Teeth pants hot on his face as he shouts to Merlin.</p><p>"Would you sacrifice your King, Emrys?"</p><p>She spins back to him, eyes widening in what Arthur knows is absolute terror.</p><p>"Get out with the knights, Merlin! I don't-"</p><p>The sword cuts deeper, and he can feel warm droplets of blood pricking up. He's been close to dying many times, but the feeling in his stomach about this situation is especially pessimistic. He's finding it somewhat hard to breathe, and not, he suspects, only because of the blade at his windpipe.</p><p>Merlin too seems to be breathing heavily.</p><p>"None of your men are harmed," she says, mouth set in a thin line, "I will let you walk free."</p><p>Arthur can feel Yellow Teeth cock his head to one side in a patronising imitation of consideration.</p><p>"But you see, Emrys, I have nothing to lose. And I rather like that you do."</p><p>It's with that he draws his arm across Arthur's back, quick and sharp. The sword comes with it. It's not the most terrible pain Arthur's ever experienced, but the panic with it is indescribable. Before he even hits the floor, he can feel thick rivulets of blood drenching his front, the dizziness rapid and debilitating.</p><p>A bang echoes from behind, but all he can think of is the stars above him. He counts the constellations before a face blocks them out. He smiles up at Merlin. He finds he can't speak, but it's enough just to look at her. Even with her wild eyes, dirty hair matted with blood, muddied face. She's brighter than the North Star.</p><p>He can't really hear anymore, the ringing in his ears drowning out any sound, but he guesses that she's shouting. She looks desperate, face drawn out as if in pain, but he finds that he doesn't care, feeling lightheaded and ever so tired.</p><p>A grounding warmth fills him, and he slips into the black.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I swear I don't do death fics! Will try to upload the final chapter a little quicker, so if you have any ideas for further stories in this series, lmk! Thank so much for reading, lots of love to you! Xxxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Lol, not me saying I'd try to upload sooner and then taking a month and a half. I hope you enjoy this anyway ;)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arthur's rather surprised to come round. </p><p>Especially to such a hard ground. Surely the afterlife has beds? </p><p>An early lesson in his training: figure out all that you can about your surroundings before you reveal that you are awake. He's a little hazy, a little confused, but can't feel any injury. It's early in the morning, going by that breeze, and he's lying down on what feels like forest floor. His hand is pressed to a chest by two smaller hands, two fingers discreetly resting at the pulse point on his wrist. There's quiet talking around him, melting in with the birdsong and rustling of trees to a symphony of low sound. It's rather too quiet, thinking about it.</p><p>He opens his eyes. The knights and Merlin are sat in a circle under the pale light of the morning. In almost no time, Merlin catches his wakefulness.</p><p>"Arthur?" she breathes.</p><p>He smiles confusedly at her.</p><p>She throws herself over him, slamming her lips into his with passion that takes his breath away. There's a wolf whistle that can only be Gwaine. </p><p>She puts a hand in his hair, then pulls back, inhaling raggedly before letting go and pressing a deep kiss to his forehead. </p><p>Honestly, there are far worse ways to wake up. </p><p>He must jinx it, because then she leans back, and he's expecting another kiss when she starts shouting.</p><p>"Do that again, you idiotic, prattish, selfish <em>clotpole</em> and I swear upon the five Kingdoms of Albion that I will take your stupid sword and I will shove it so far up your-!"</p><p>"Merlin! What's...?"</p><p>It's then that he sees the blood soaking the front of his chainmail. There's so much it's- it's more than enough to kill a man. Then he remembers.</p><p>He bolts upright, several pairs of hands reaching out to steady him, but he feels completely fine.</p><p>"What happened?" he demands, looking around the drawn faces of his knights. He's pleased to note Gwaine is upright and conscious again, and only a little on the pale side.</p><p>"Well Sire, Merlin arrived, and quickly-"</p><p>"Yes, yes, and one <em>slit my throat</em>." he says impatiently, "After that, Leon?"</p><p>He's being unreasonably rude and he knows it, but Leon has always been understanding of Arthur's hatred of being out of the know.</p><p>"Merlin healed you, my Lord. Then she untied us, and we rested a little before the sun rose."</p><p>Not bloody likely. They all look more than a little weary.</p><p>"Merlin you better not have gone and killed yourself to heal me."</p><p>"Oh and let you die instead? Smart one, prat. Are you feeling alright? The blood should have mostly replenished thanks to the magic and the medicine, but do you feel at all dizzy, lightheaded?"</p><p>Strangely enough, he doesn't.</p><p>"No, I feel... completely fine. Wouldn't have known anything to be wrong, if not for the..." He gestures at his bloodstained front.</p><p>"Well we prepared the horses and packed the camp," Elyan says, "we could be back in Camelot before midday. Whenever you're ready, Sire."</p><p>Gods, all he wants is to be in a warm bed again. </p><p>"Let's be going then," he says, and Elyan pulls him to his feet with a warm smile and a clap on the back.</p>
<hr/><p>It's not a long ride back, and the weather is clear, so they make good time. Obviously people think him stupid enough to miss the furtive glances in his direction, and it's driving him mad.</p><p>"Would you stop looking at me, I'm not going to keel over and die!"</p><p>"If only we could be so lucky," sighs Gwaine to a chorus of laughter, and from then on the banter resumes as if nothing has happened.</p><p>It's not long before they're at the palace walls.</p><p>"Gods I could do with a bath. Don't draw it yourself Merlin you must be exhausted too, I wonder if George-"</p><p>"No!" She says, and he turns in suprise at the outburst. She swallows, calming herself. "Were going to see Gaius first. Need to make sure you're healed alright."</p><p>He's about to protest that he feels completely fine, other than a little tired, until he sees her pallor and considers it might not be too bad an idea to make sure she sees Gaius herself.</p><p>They leave their mounts with the stable hands, and all six of them head for the physicians chambers, Arthur reassuring the passersby gaping at his bloodstained front as they go.</p>
<hr/><p>Merlin half shoves him through the door, eyes looking around a little wildly, the knights filing in behind them.</p><p>Gaius appears, eyes widening.</p><p>"What on earth-?"</p><p>"Will he be alright, Gaius?" she demands, pushing Arthur none too gently towards him. "His throat was cut. I healed it, but you know that's not my strong point, please just-"</p><p>Gaius peers into Arthur's eyes, checks his pulse, and then asks him;</p><p>"What is your name?"</p><p>"Arthur Pendragon." He says, with a roll of his eyes.</p><p>"And the year?"</p><p>"The thirty fifth of Uther's reign. I'm fine, stop fussing, Merlin."</p><p>"It seems so. You may stay here under observation tonight Sire, just in case, but I can't see anything to suggest you are anything other than the picture of health."</p><p>Merlin visibly deflates, finally convinced by the expertise of her guardian. It's then Gaius turns his shrewd eye on her.</p><p>"Would have been rather strong magic, that, Merlin."</p><p>She shifts uneasily, giving an abysmal attempt at a nonchalant shrug.</p><p>"Not to mention that crack to the head you got mate," pipes up Gwaine. Merlin glares at him.</p><p>Gaius' brow wrinkles in concern. He steps forward, peers into her eyes, and then seems to understand.</p><p>"Bed."</p><p>"Gaius, it's not even noon," she says, shrugging off the hand he's got on her forehead in search of a fever, "I'm not tired, and besides I have things to be getting on with."</p><p>Gaius replaces the hand under her elbow and begins to steer her towards the staircase. She pulls away again, this time with a not-so-subtle wobble.</p><p>"Gaius I'm fine. I slept last night before we set off again this morning!"</p><p>Gwaine snorts.</p><p>"Slept my arse..."</p><p>She glares at him. Gaius turns to the knights.</p><p>"Sir Percival, it seems Merlin cannot walk to bed unaided, would you just-?"</p><p>"No, I'm going I'm going! Percy-!"</p><p>Grinning, Percival throws her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and heads up the stairs as if there isn't some madwoman kicking and screaming on his back.</p><p>She holds her hands up in resignation, the knights' laughter following her up the stairs.</p>
<hr/><p>Gaius makes a pot of tea for the knights, and then takes the stairs himself with a cup for Merlin.</p><p>Percival returns, and they all settle themselves on the rug by the fire, cross legged and content to return from an outing without a great bloody casualty for once. </p><p>"So Princess..." Gwaine begins, a sly smile on his face, "got any great decelerations of love in the workings?"</p><p>"For you?" Arthur snorts, "hate to disappoint Gwaine but you're not really my type."</p><p>The others laugh, but Gwaine is on a mission.</p><p>"It's just that the apple of your eye up there has a flair for big gestures, and I'm wondering if you've been working on any firework displays yourself..."</p><p>"Firework- oh Gwaine we weren't going to tell him about that bit!"</p><p>"What bit?" Arthur demands of an exasperated looking Elyan. Gwaine looks a little chastened.</p><p>"Well right before she healed you, Merlin.. the bandit that cut your throat... well, she kind of..."</p><p>"She exploded him, Sire," Elyan says bluntly, and Arthur bursts out in a laugh of suprise.</p><p>"<em>Exploded</em>? Like-?"</p><p>"Like BOOM," says Gwaine, miming with his hands, trying not to laugh himself.</p><p>"Surely that's a bit of an overreaction."</p><p>"You did look very dead, Sire."</p><p>"Maybe so, Leon, but exploding is a rather extreme reaction..."</p><p>"You looked extremely done for."</p><p>He rolls his eyes.</p><p>"<em>Thank you</em>, Leon. Feel free to continue telling me how dead I looked, as I <em>died</em>."</p><p>"You weren't very pretty as a dead man, I have to say Arthur," says Elyan, shaking his head. "I don't think blood red's your colour."</p><p>"Red isn't my- I'm the Prince of Camelot! Our colour is red, so <em>how can red not be my-</em>"</p><p>It's at that moment that Gaius appears at the foot of the stairs, eyebrow raises in disapproval. They all go quiet. </p><p>The all go to stand, and he waves them down, coming to the table to set down the untouched cup of tea.</p><p>"How's Merlin?" Asks </p><p>"Fast asleep, despite your noise," he answers. "Just as I thought, magical overuse and exhaustion. Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix."</p><p>"But she only used a few spells," says Arthur puzzledly. "How could she have overexerted herself so easily?"</p><p>Gaius sighs.</p><p>"Arthur, you were dying by the sound of things. Healing spells are massively powerful things. Life is not tampered with lightly. A lesser sorcerer may have died from healing such a mortal wound as you suffered. Not to mention the magic likely being used subconsciously to stay upright after that head wound."</p><p>"Not to mention all the bandits," says Elyan, "especially that last one."</p><p>They smile ruefully. Gaius clears his throat.</p><p>"Anyway, you're free to go, unless you have any injuries I need to see?"</p><p>Gwaine mentions his head wound and the others file out with best wishes for Merlin and promises to pop by tomorrow. Gaius catches Arthur eyeing the staircase.</p><p>"Yes, Arthur, you can go up, but no disturbing her rest, alright?"</p><p>"Of course, of course..." He mutters, and slips up to the room.</p>
<hr/><p>Some hours later, Gaius finds Arthur nodding off in the chair by Merlin's bed, her hand in his, and he ushers him down to the patient bed to sleep. Exhausted and relieved, Arthur happily drops off to the sound of the crackling fire and Gaius' potion mixing.</p>
<hr/><p>It must be some hours later again that Arthur blinks open to the sound of a creaking staircase. It's dark now, he's been covered with a blanket and he can hear Gaius' rumbling snores from the other side of the room. He nearly falls off the bed when a face appears above him.</p><p>"Bloody hell, Merlin," he hisses, clutching his heart like an old woman, "are you <em>trying</em> to kill me?"</p><p>She rolls her eyes at him.</p><p>"Come on, let's get out and we can talk."</p><p>She pulls him up, and they both slip out the creaky door, into the dark corridors.</p><p>As soon as they turn down a deserted corner, she pushes him against the wall a delivers a kiss almost as passionate as the one earlier.</p><p>"Gosh," he says, "I ought to die more often."</p><p>She looks him dead in the eye.</p><p>"No."</p><p>He smiles, and she leans in closer again.</p><p>"I've decided," she says, "I don't like it when you die."</p><p>"Really? I've never been overly fond of the idea myself to be honest."</p><p>Her hand slips into his hair, and it seems to be getting harder to come up with sarcastic remarks.</p><p>"I've decided that I want to be there to stop you from dying again."</p><p>He nods, bringing his own hands to clasp at the small of her back.</p><p>"I love you Arthur. Like nothing or no-one I've ever loved before."</p><p>This time she draws him into a backbreaking hug, burying her face in his chest, and he feels a wet patch seeping through his shirt.</p><p>"Merlin," he says, chin on her head, "I'm not dead."</p><p>"You don't know how close it was," she says, despair written over her face as she looks up at him, "I couldn't heal it at first. I thought you were going to die in my arms."</p><p>"There's no place I'd rather spend my last moments," he says, which is true but probably not the right thing to say as she lets out a sob and hides her face again. </p><p>He shouldn't find it funny, but he's so happy to be alive and alive with her that he grins. She's overtired, and he nearly died. He's just thinking that maybe they should call it a night, when he remembers something he'd been thinking of.</p><p>"Merlin?"</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"I love you. Perhaps more than you could ever know."</p><p>She looks up, smiling gently while still managing to look impish..</p><p>"I know. Though usually you're too emotionally constipated to say it."</p><p>He grins as he shakes his head. </p><p>Her face splits into a grin of it's own.</p>
<hr/><p>Gaius, who, contrary to what people think, is not <em>clueless</em> to people <em>sneaking around his chambers in the middle of the night</em>, is glad to hear them return, two sets of footsteps climbing the narrow stairs.</p><p>What he doesn't hear is the last whispered conversation from upstairs.</p><p>"I hear you exploded a bandit for me, Merlin."</p><p>"Shut up prat."</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for sticking around! Comments and prompts are so welcome, but I appreciate you even just reading. Love to you! Xxxxxxx</p>
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